A-C will review its alcohol laws

Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2011

By BLAKE AUED

A group of Athens-Clarke commissioners began a comprehensive review of the county's alcohol laws Tuesday.

The Legislative Review Committee, one of the commission's three standing committees, recommended holding a referendum on Sunday package sales July 31, 2012, and to start regulating restaurants that allow customers to bring their own alcohol.

Both recommendations will go to the full commission for approval in August.

In agreeing on July 31 - the date of primary elections for many federal, state and local offices - commissioners said they tried to strike a balance between encouraging participation and constituents' desire to vote on Sunday sales as soon as possible.

"I'd err on the side of more input," said Commissioner Kelly Girtz, who advocated a November 2012 vote, when turnout will be highest.

The commission could hold a vote as early as this November, but the LRC rejected that date because Athens-Clarke County would have to pay $55,000 for an off-year special election and turnout would be low.

"Those who want Sunday alcohol will vote" in a special election, Commissioner George Maxwell said. "Those who don't want it or are on the fence will probably stay home."

Past November special elections for issues like sales taxes have drawn 17 or 18 percent of voters to the polls, county Elections Supervisor Gail Schrader said. Turnout for recent summer primaries has been higher, between 18 percent to 35 percent.

The LRC also decided against recommending holding the referendum during next winter's presidential primary. That election usually is held in March, but Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has not yet set a date and does not have to until Dec. 1. Local officials must call for an election 90 days in advance, raising the possibility that the commission would not have time to put Sunday sales on the ballot once Kemp sets the presidential primary date.

"It's kind of hard to plan when you don't know what the date is," Schrader said.

The LRC also recommended requiring restaurants that want to allow patrons to bring their own alcohol to get a brown-bag permit. Currently, any restaurant can allow brown-bagging, but officials said they think only three or four do so.

Requiring a permit would let police regulate brown-bagging, said Sgt. Laura Lusk, who enforces alcohol laws. Police would know what restaurants allow it, so they could check them to see if anyone is drinking underage and, if so, hold the owner accountable.

Mayor Nancy Denson assigned a review of several alcohol-related issues to the LRC in May. Next, the committee will tackle distance requirements from schools, churches and homes to sell alcohol. After that, it will consider whether to limit the number of bars downtown, a discussion LRC Chairman Doug Lowry said he expects to take several months.